Nothing Left To Say
by threewishes6716
Summary: Dramione/Post DH Draco and Hermione meet for the first time in years at the ten year anniversary of the Second Wizarding War.


A/N: This is shorter than what I like to write and post, but I just kind of want to get some feedback and see if it's worth continuing. Let me know what you think. Please and thank you. I don't own these characters or the cover image.

May 2, 2008

A slight sweat had worked its way onto Hermione's brow as she looked slowly around the Great Hall. This was by far the most people she'd seen in this very room; it was even more than when it was doubling as an infirmary some ten years ago. Her left arm shifted to pull the swaddled babe closer into her bosom, and her right hand tugged Rose a smidge closer. Ron didn't even notice his daughter was no longer holding his hand, for he was deeply submerged in a heated Quidditch argument with Seamus and Dean. And they say people change.

Her eyes finished their circle to land on the rest of the Weasley clan and Harry. George had taken his mother's place on the stage many years ago to stand for his fallen brother. Molly was at peace with Fred's death, but some things are still too much for a mother to bear. Since having her own children, Hermione's respect for Molly had grown exponentially. She was already struggling maintaining a career, a household, and herself. And it never failed that each year, around this time, Hermione would find herself unable to sleep at night at the thought of losing one of her own children.

Minister Shacklebolt was still not on the stage yet more people piled in by the minute. Hermione blew a loose curl out of her face only to have it flop up and land right back on her damp forehead.

"Perfect," she muttered and slouched from her usual ballerina posture as she realized they wouldn't be leaving here any time soon.

And this was not the last stop of the day. Immediately following a no doubt somber speech that varied little from year to year, all children would be dropped off to nannies and grandparents alike to allow the celebration to begin. Hermione loved the idea of the ball. It's a quite healthy form of therapy after such a gloomy afternoon, but she was beginning to wish she didn't have to go. A night at home with Rose and Hugo sounded more than promising as opposed to putting on a gown someone else picked out and sitting among drunken old friends. She'd normally have a glass or two, but breastfeeding put those thoughts on hold, so she'd be spending her evening sober and most likely annoyed.

She's not sure what it is that catches her attention, but she looks down to see another small head next to Rose. There's a startling contrast between the bright carrot coloring of her own daughter's hair and the new white blonde child. Hermione's not an idiot. There's been only one person she's known with such coloring. That, and she remembered reading the birth announcement in the Daily Prophet right below her own. Blue-gray eyes look up at her. His hand is holding onto Rose so tightly.

"Excuse me, we're about to begin, but a Mr. Scorpius Malfoy seems to have run off from his father. If you could all look around," Kingsley announces with his wand at his throat.

Hermione releases Rose and slowly raises her hand.

Kingsley gives a jovial, "Fantastic," and directs Draco's attention in her direction. The fatherly panic gives out and his slight wrinkles smooth out across his face. This is the first time she's made direct eye contact with him in years, and although Hermione is sure he's too concerned for Scorpius to realize it's her, she gets a weird knot in her stomach from, well, she's not quite sure what from. Draco half jogs across the stage and down the stairs. He sweeps Scorpius off his feet and holds him close to his chest. His lips part slightly, just in time for Kingsley to clear his throat for his speech. His jaw snaps shut, and instead, he gives her a curt nod before shuffling to the back of the crowd.

Molly's home is once again full with Rose, Hugo, Albus, James, Lily, and even Teddy as her special helper. Hermione was hoping she'd want to go to gala after all, and that would be her opening to volunteer as sitter. But her mother-in-law had said nonsense and scooped up all the children immediately.

Hermione's head spun with war memories as they walked outside the Hogwarts grounds to apparate home and get ready for the evening. Ginny chattered beside her but nothing more than a few words here and there caught her ear. Ron and Harry stayed behind to 'help' get the Great Hall ready and then ready themselves in the Gryffindor tower, or, rather, spend too much time pretending to be in third year again using that bloody Marauder's Map to explore the castle.

It's not that it bothered Hermione that they were off acting like a bunch of teenagers, however, this was not the first time Ron had avoided coming home with her. She kept telling herself it was the post-pregnancy hormones lingering and making her feel insecure, but the feeling wouldn't shake.

"Anyway, the Harpies said I can start training again in a month, but I get the feeling Harry wants another child," Ginny said with a heavy sigh.

Hermione gave a quiet, mhm, causing the other woman to snap in front of her face.

"I'm sorry, am I boring you?" she snapped a bit too quickly.

Hermione ran a hand through her tangled curls. "No, no, absolutely not. I've just war on the brain, you know?"

It wasn't completely a lie. And besides, it's not as if she would ever tell Ginny about where her mind had actually gone to and all the questions she was having about her brother. No, that would just end terribly. No matter how good of friends they were, family came first with the Weasleys and Hermione could only imagine how fast it would get back to Ron or, god forbid, Molly.

Ginny's face dropped as she gave a small apology and intertwined her arm with Hermione's. Her thoughts filled with her lost brother. Hermione felt an equal amount of guilt for bringing those thoughts back up in Ginny's head, but there was nothing to be done now. Now, they just needed to get ready and make it through the long night ahead.


End file.
